Nasri: Kane’s Ballon d’Or victory overlooks his record in the biggest matches

Former Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri says Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or success was driven by his statistics rather than his influence in the most important matches.

Kane was presented with the award at a ceremony in London on Monday, becoming the first English player to win the prize in 25 years. The Bayern Munich and England striker finished ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in the voting.

Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season, helping Bayern Munich win the domestic double and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. He also played a significant role as England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.

However, Nasri said Kane’s individual output did not fully justify the honour.

Speaking on Canal+, Nasri said: “Harry Kane wins the Ballon d’Or… well, the statistics made the difference. He is a great player and has many qualities, but he has never been the player who carries his team further or leads them to victory in the really big games. There is always a small weakness, but he is an exceptional player.”

Asked whether Kane’s triumph had failed to excite him, Nasri replied: “No, that is a much milder description than what I feel.”

Kane scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich last season, the highest total by a player in a single season in the German club’s history. Including his goals for England, he finished with 73 goals and eight assists in 65 matches.

Despite Kane’s outstanding personal campaign, Bayern Munich were eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals. England also exited the World Cup at the same stage after losing to Argentina.

The ceremony’s presenters included France great Thierry Henry, who offered Kane his congratulations after the striker finished ahead of Mbappe.

“I would always support my fellow Frenchmen, but I have to say something about Harry Kane,” Henry said. “I have followed him from the beginning, and he had to suffer a lot, and suffer greatly, to achieve what he has achieved. He is a deserved winner, and I congratulate him.”

Kane’s award was widely praised as recognition of a remarkable individual campaign, but Nasri’s comments reflect the debate over whether the Ballon d’Or should primarily reward statistics or a player’s ability to decide the biggest matches.